Family Feels New Pain From Cold Case Murder Arrest
WAXAHACHIE (CBS 11 NEWS) - A nearly five-year-old murder mystery ends with a police arrest. Phillip Tucker was shot to death in his Waxahachie pawn shop in August of 2009. Now a nearby neighbor is charged with his murder.
"I screamed and cried," said Cathy Tucker when she heard of an arrest. But her initial relief was tempered, as it all hit home. While Tucker's family is glad a suspect is in custody, they don't feel a sense of closure.
"We thought it would be joyous, and we would have some closure," Cathy told CBS 11 News. "But really it brings up a lot of pain."
Police claim that pain was caused by Kajlon Jamaal Carroll, who was 18 at the time. Investigators say late last year Carroll talked to others about the crime and someone went to police. Police tell us Carroll's DNA matched blood found at the crime scene. He's charged with capital murder. Police believe robbery was the motive behind the killing.
The new owner of Tucker's pawn shop says he was stunned at the arrest because in looking over records he found the suspect had been a regular customer over the years.
Meantime, in the living room of Cathy Tucker's home, Phillip Tucker's family remembers him as a funny, outgoing man with a big heart.
"He was the funniest person I ever met," Katey Tucker told us, echoing reflections of other family members.
Three of his four children are adopted, Tristen just nine months before the murder. He says his anger comes and goes.
"The fact that I had just gotten a family. And had just gotten an actual dad. It was hard to just see it go," he said.
Monica Tucker says she didn't know the depth of her father's generosity until a friend told a story about him at his funeral.
"Bought a family he didn't know, barely, Christmas for their children. Because they were struggling that year and none of us really heard about it. That's the kind of man that he was."
Even nearly five years after his death, his memory still brings tears to the eyes of his family.
"He made everything fun and he loved his girls," Cathy said adding, "He had a heart, a huge heart, and he loved me and made my life so incredible."
Cathy has now remarried. She says she can forgive Phillip's murderer with a caveat.
"I want justice. I want what happened to mean something."
His daughters and son agree. " We all want peace, we all want justice to be served," Monica told us.
Waxahachie police indicate the suspect, Carroll, has made several statements to them.
Police believe someone else may have been involved in this crime and ask anyone with additional information to call the Waxahachie Police Department Criminal Investigation Division at 972-937-9940.